Stairway.



PATENTED APR. 30, 1907.

F. B. DIGKASON. STAIRWAY.

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PATENTED APR. 30, 1907.

F. B. DIOKASON.

STAIRWAY.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27. 1906.

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FRANK B. DICKASON, OF SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA.

STAiRWAY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 30, 1907.

Application filed August 27, 1906. Serial lie. 332,262.

To (U, whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK B. T).IOI(AS()N, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shreveport, in the parish of Caddo and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stairways; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in stairways designed more particularly for use in attics.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character, which may be readily lowered and raised through the hatch way or opening in the attic floor or other place Where it is desired to economize space and which will automatically close and open the hatchway door.

A further object of the invention is to improve and simplify the construction of devices of this character and thereby render the same more durable and efficient and less ex pensive.

With the above and other the invention consists of certain novel features of. construction, combination and arrangement of parts,'as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings :-Figure 1 is a top plan View of the improved attic stairs mounted in the framework of an attic floor and in its elevated position; Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing the stairs in its lowered position; Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical, longitudinal sectional views, taken respectively on the lines 3 3 and 4 4 in Figs. 1 and 2; and Fig. 5 is a detail, vertical, transverse section, taken on the line 55 in Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings by numeral, 1 denotes the framework of an attic floor, here shown as consisting of longitudinal and end beams connected byintermediate cross beams or joist 2. At a suitable point in the frame is provided a hatchway or opening 3 formed by two short longitudinallyextending beams 4, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

The hatchway or opening 3 is adapted to be closed by a swinging door 5, which is hinged as at 6, at one end of the hatchway, and is connected by cords or cables 7 to a cross bar 8. These cables are arranged upon opposite sides of the door and pass upwardly through the hatchway over pulleys 9 mount objects in view,

i l i i i I i g i l i i l l ed therein. The cross bar 8 is connected at its center to a lever 10, which is pivoted at 11 upon the top of one of the joist 2, and is connected by a cord or cable 12 to a counterbalancing weight 13. The latter is in the form of a right angular lover pivoted at its angle, as shown at H, between uprights 1.5 arising from the frame 1. The cable 12 is attached to the depending arm of the lever 13 and its other arm is weighted as clearly shown in Fig. 4, so that it serves to swing the door 5 normally to its closed position.

The door may be opened manually by a cord or cable 16, which has one of its ends attached to the lever or its cross 1:: S, and its other end passed through the frame 1 and a guide-eye or the like 17 upon one of the joist 2. This free end of the cord depends within convenient reach of an operator, and is pulled downwardly when it is desired to open the trap door for ventilation or other purposes. Any suitable means may be provided for securing this free end of the cord and thus holding the door open.

The numeral 18 denotes a light of stairs, consisting of parallel side bars connected by transverse steps. This llight of stairs is adapted to be raised and lowered through the hatclnvay or opening 3, and has its upper end connected by a tramsverso pivot rod. 19 to one end of a link 20, the opposite end of which is similarly connected by a transverse Pivot rod 2 to a second link 23.' The latter has its opposite end pivoted at 2-l upon one of the joist 2, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and a of the drawings. Each of the links 20, 23 is in the form of a rectangular plate having its sides bent at right angles to form parallel flanges, which latter project beyond the ends of tne plate and are apertured to receive the pivots 19, 2t), and 21. The flight of stairs is counterbalanced by a swinging weight 25 mounted in upright ptu'tions of a frame or bracket 26 secured upon the frame vI. This weight may be of an}, desired form and con struction, but as illustrated comprises a heavy body secured between side plates, which have their upper projecting ends spaced apart by a sleeve and apertured to receive a transverse pivot rod 27, which also passes through the spacing sleeve and has its ends journaled in the frame or support 26. The latter may also be of any desired form and construction. In the lower end of the counterbalancing weight 25 is formed a recess or slot 28, in which is journaled a guide roller 29 to receive a cord or cable 30. The latter has one of its ends secured to the sta tionar r pivot rod 24: and its opposite end socured to the pivot rod or L intle 22 of the two i links 20, 23, so that the weight serves to nor- 1 mally swing the links from their position shown in Fig. 4: to their position shown in Fig. 3, thereby elevating the stairs. It will be understood, however, that the weight 25 just counterbalances the weight of the stairs,

so that the latter will remain in either a lowered or elevated position. 1

In order to move the flight of stairs to its lowered position, I provide a cord or cable j 31, which has one of its ends attached to the pivot or hinge rod 19, and its free end depending within convenient reach. of an operator. The intermediate portion of this cable passes over a transverse roller 32 and through a guide eye similar to the eye 17 The roller 32 has its journals mounted. in brackets 33 secured upon one of the joist 2, which joist is disposed at one end of the hatchway 3 and is recessed as shown at 341 in Fig. 3. The roller 32 also serves to support the free end of the flight of stairs 13 and thereby permit it to be more readily raised and lowered. j

In order to elevate the flight of stairs through the hatcl way, I. provide cable 35, which is attached at one of its ends to the lowermost step of the flight of stairs 18, as shown at 36, and has its free end depending witlnn convenient reach of an o ierator. This cable 35 also passes over the roller 32 and through a guide eye similar to the eye 17.

If desired, the two operating cables 31, 35 may be fo med in one piece, so that the depending ends are united, as seen in Fig. 1.

The construction, operation and advan-- tages of the invention will be readily under- 1 stood from the foregoing description, taken 1 in connection with the accompanying drawl ings.

It will be seen that when it is desired to lower the flight of stairs from its elevated position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the depending l end of the cord 31 is pulled downwardly, so that the latter is forced downwardly through the hatchway 3. As it is thus operated, it l swings the door 5 to its open position and l shifts the links 20, 23 to their position shown j in Figs. 2 and 4. Vi hen it is desired to elej vate the flight of stairs, the depending end of the cable 35 is pulled downwardly. d' hen this is done, the upward movement of the stairs is facilitated by the counterbalancing weight 25, which serves to fold or move the links 20, 22 into the position shown in Fig. 3.

As the flight of stairs moves upwardly, the

. in, the free end of which links res ectivel r 2 7 portionpassed over counterbalancing weight 13 swings the door 5 to its closed position.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that a stairway constructed in accordance with my invention will be particularly useful in places where it is desired to use the space usually occupied by the attic stairway, as the stairs may be quickly elevated and stored in the space between the roof and the floor of he attic and can be quickly lowered into position for use.

Various chan es in the form r0 ortion I and the minor details of constrcution may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is

1. In a stairway, a frame having a hatchway opening, a stairway movable longitudin ally therethrough, a counter-b alance mounted upon the frame, jointed links connected 1 with the frame and with the stairway, re

and a cord connected at its ends with the jointed portions and has its interconnected with the spectively, with the frame and of the links, respectively, mediate portion movably counter-balance.

2. In a stairway, a frame having a hatchway opening, a stairway movable longitudi nally therethrough, a support on the frame, a counter-b alance pivotally suspended thereis provided witha roller, jointed links connected respectively with the frame between the support and said opening and with the upper end of the stairway, and a cord connected at its ends with the frame and the jointed portions of the and has its intermediate said pulley in the counterbalance.

3. In a stairway, a frame provided with a hatchway opening, a stairway movable therethrough, a pulley in the opening at the side of the stairway, uprights on the frame,

' an L shaped weight pivotally mounted therein at its bend, a door hinged to close said opening, and a cord connected with the door and with one end of the weight and passed over said pulley.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK B. DICKASON.

WVitness es T. C. BLANCHARD, S. W. WVEsT. 

